Stone Dam Shangri-La

My question to my dear sister before arriving for my 3 week stay in Kauai was “what are the most sacred places on the island?” Her number one mention was the Stone Dam at Common Ground. I learned that this was the global communications hub for ancient Lemuria and that Common Ground was the actual landing site where the Star Beings dropped down onto Earth. I had no idea what to expect. Even though this would be my 8th trip to the island, I was learning there was still so much to discover.

Mama Kauai first called to me in 2003 when I received a very strong message to visit her with my son, Mars, who was 6 years old at the time. It was an enchanting love affair from the moment I touched my feet upon her earth. And while the call to come back was strong, we didn’t return again until 2011. And it wasn’t until the following year, in 2012, when I visited for a deep journey and sacred retreat with my Shamanic teacher and cosmic soul traveler, that I began my series of Initiations. It was then that the island fully communed with me, and I began to just touch upon the depth of her magic. On my very first day arriving then, just after the fall equinox in 2012, during our drive to Haena, I saw a Unicorn. My friend screamed when she first saw it. That magical being was within the physical body of a wild white horse when viewing from a purely third dimensional physical realm perspective, but from an energetic realm, I could clearly see the light body of a Unicorn. This phenomenal creature was taken aback when he realized that I could see his true form and we spoke about this telepathically, sharing thoughts through our minds without spoken words. My girlfriend videotaped the entire interaction, as she was mesmerized sensing that the animal was truly speaking with me.

After that encounter, in a deep meditative state, I visited the center of the Earth, where I discovered a holographic reality of the Garden of Eden. I entered through a portal in the center of Kauai which I accessed through a crystalline elevator that dropped into the Earth. This dream like experience felt as real to me as this real world and it is this very vision that has called me to write a fiction novel based upon events such as these from my life.

The following evening, having received direct guidance from Gaia (Mother Earth) to sit outside and watch the stars, I was visited by 4 distinct star ships. Four different people sat beside me and witnessed each of these star ship sightings to prove to our group (and myself) that I was not crazy and that these beings had actually come to reveal their presence to me. I could clearly hear one of these ships speaking directly to me, knowing and speaking my name, again telepathically. Needless to say, that 2012 trip was mind-blowing, something out of this world. And, I share all of this because of course I wanted to visit the land where the star people once converged.

As you approach the Stone Dam, it feels like any other hiking trail. A parking lot, treelined pathway, signs, but once you step inside the valley of the Stone Dam, you feel as if you have entered into an earthly paradise. Here is the real Shangri-La. Everything is alive. There are giant wild jasmine flowers and the scent fills you as you enter into this sacred living temple. Every flowering bush and tree is vibrating with loving energy. The sound of the water rushing over the dam and throughout the garden is calming and provides a continuous flow of the fundamental element into the many pools. Black and white warblers dart from tree to tree, while the white egrets grace through this serene oasis. There are koi fish swimming in the ponds and a small bamboo forest with a large buddha head up on the hill. Everything feels sweet, harmonious and relatively modest.

Having been fortunate to travel the world, I have seen some incredibly stunning places. In fact there are some very close to where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. But I have not felt a place so luscious, alive and peaceful quite like this. Rarely have I experienced, palpably, the kind of divine feminine energy emanating from this wellspring of earth nourishment. The land is privately held, yet the stewards opened their property, in conjunction with a hiking trail through their Mahogany forest, for the public. I believe here lies one of the keys to its powerful energy. Here is a deep reverence and care for the natural beauty and energy of Mother Earth along with the consciousness to know that this beauty and energy belongs to everyone of us.

Scott and I arrived early and immediately sat to meditate on the great eucalyptus tree. Downloads and messages came through my friend as we both prayed. I was called to return that same afternoon with a blanket and journal and I laid in the grass and stared at the clouds, the foliage of the trees, and this secret garden for hours. This was my second day and I really needed to just do nothing. It was sublime. Soon enough, I had the entire place to myself. I meditated and chanted and felt a surge of energy enter my body. And then I heard the message… “come back on the full moon for your vision quest.” From the first time I heard about Native American vision quests, I have been interested, knowing that when I felt called, I would heed. Our society is in desperate need of these types of rites of passage to help us mark and mature through the different stages of life. I had assumed my personal vision quest would come through a teacher somewhere in the desert, so upon hearing the direct guidance from Gaia herself, I was elated. Typically vision quests involve the participant spending time alone in nature, often while fasting with few creature comforts, in order to receive a personal vision that supports the entire community. This ritual is a powerful way for adolescents, as well as adults, to acknowledge, mourn, release, welcome and celebrate important life transitions. When I arrived, I was at a pivotal time in my life. I had been drawn to the island to heal and release a recent breakup, to dive deep into my writing, and to fully birth Crowned & Throned, my modern Mystery School. I was drawn to be of service to the Goddess. And she knew exactly what I needed.

I packed as light as I could: a fold up camping mat, a super thin yoga mat, a mosquito net, a little rope, several water bottles, my beach towel, a scarf, some extra layers of clothing, a raincoat, 2 hard boiled eggs, a mango, my journal and phone (in case of an emergency). This was my first time ever “roughing it” in nature. Sure, I have climbed Kilimanjaro and trekked deep into national parks for camping, but never have I done wilderness alone, nor without a proper shelter.

It was so dark that I had to use the flashlight on my phone to set up my “nest”. There were no low hanging trees for me to hang my net from, so I pitched my mats and net near one of the red leafed bushes, which forced me onto a downward slope. None of this mattered because it was clear that I needed to be as close as possible to the dam and the sound and energy of rushing water. As soon as I was set up, the moon began to rise from the shadows of my container and my entire body gasped. It was absolutely glorious. I began to cry. Tears of joy streamed down my face, still not knowing what to expect from this Gaia summoned vision quest, but here in this single moment was everything- the pure beauty of Being. I felt grateful, and felt that this was one of the best nights of my life; to have that incredibly peaceful place all to myself and feel uninhibited to express what was within was such a blessing. Soon enough, my joyful tears turned to the grief I had been carrying over the loss of my Beloved. I felt it all swelling up like a giant wave ready to consume, again. Really, more tears over this love? The truth is that it was real and the pain from having loved so fully, yet left unfulfilled, was still there. I wept and wept while staring up into the moon, praying for whatever was lingering in my heart to be let go. And slowly, with each tear, I let it go. As clouds passed over the moon, turning the sky into a dazzling show, I was soothed by the energies of Her, of Gaia, and finally felt a deep peace arise within me. I began to chant and sing and dance in the moonlight. I skipped all over the entire valley barefoot and new songs of freedom birthed from my every step, from the core of my being. I was there to be heard, to be seen, to feel. I was there to witness. The glistening light of the moon on every blade of grass was my pure delight. I kissed many leaves and spoke to many trees. I prayed for everyone I know, for my family, my soul tribe, myself, and for the world. I prayed more could experience what I was feeling. I reclaimed in all my wildness, the art of being me. That time and those moments were extraordinary.

Around 10 pm, I received a message that it was time for bed. I found a place to pee and then headed under my protective net to turn it in for the night. I was guided on how to use every stitch of clothing I had brought-my scarf wrapped around my neck just like this, a shirt tied around my head, my beach towel under the turkish cotton wrap, my rain coat on top, all layered just right – to generate the most warmth for that chilly moist night. I didn’t have a sleeping bag and it was precarious maneuvering on the slanted rocky ground, but I was guided through every breath to cultivate a soft place within to land and rest. Eventually, I ended up on my belly. Then more release happened. I could feel the earth’s energy coming up into my body and pulling old stuck energy down into her. In unison, the crickets and birds began a symphony of sound and I was told to allow the sound, as vibrations, to move the energy down and out. The rushing water helped me to relax, release and let go. I felt held and supported, embraced by our Mother. It was so bright that I needed to wear my eye mask in order to fall asleep. This was when the deep trust came in. Here I was, woman unprotected, alone in the woods, anything could happen. And yet, I was not afraid. I put on the mask while still basking in the moon’s glow and simply fell asleep. There is no other place in the world where I feel this level of safety, to the core of my being, than on this island. This is her mana and what she offers.

There were no spaceships, no star beings, no grand visions. There were hardly any new insights. The only message I audibly heard again and again was “you are safe, my child. There is nothing to fear”. My inner child, that little girl within, reveled in these words. She exhaled deeply. She belonged. I believe that night healed a part of my innocence that had been longing for some deep, deep connection with Great Mother, Gaia. I have been longing to feel safe to simply BE HERE on this Earth. For decades. Although I cannot fully describe all this rite of passage has done, something shifted. I’ve noticed that my confidence has grown, I believe for just following through on the guidance and arriving on the other side.

By 6:30am, I woke up for the day. I got about 8 hours of sleep. As I packed up my humble bedding, I reflected on how simple the whole experience had been. The majority of the evening was just me, lying on the Earth, sleeping under the moonlight, deep in the womb of Primordial Mother.

As I left the forest, a rainbow appeared across the sky. This was her sign of completion to one of my many Initiations.